ALEXANDRIA, VA, 1/03/16: The Alexandria Police
Department is investigating an incident Sunday night involving
an intoxicated man who apparently shot his own foot, according
to police. The incident took place about a block off of King
Street. Here’s the alert sent out Sunday at 8:40 PM from the
Alexandria Police Department: The Alexandria Police Department
is investigating an unintentional discharge of a firearm in the
1000 block of Cameron Street. An intoxicated subject shot his
own foot; it is non-life-threatening. Expect police activity in
the area. No report from police on the extent of the injury or
whether the man faces charges.
CHICAGO, IL, 1/03/16: Three people were injured in separate
shootings Sunday on the South and West sides, Chicago police
said. A woman also was hurt in an accidental shooting Sunday
afternoon on the Far South Side. [A]n 18-year-old woman was
accidentally shot around 3 PM in the 13100 block of South
Eberhart Avenue in the Golden Gate neighborhood on the Far South
Side, said Officer Amina Greer, a police spokeswoman. The woman
was shot in the leg and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical
Center in Oak Lawn. The shooting appears to be self-inflicted,
and a weapon was recovered at the scene, Greer said. The
incident is still under investigation. No one was in custody for
the shootings.
ALTON, IL, 1/03/16: An Alton man allegedly went to a victim’s
house wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with a revolver, but
he was the one who ended up getting shot. Authorities Tuesday
charged Norzell C. Pittman, 47, of the 2000 block of Brown
Street, with home invasion, being an armed habitual criminal and
unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon. He allegedly entered
the home in the 1200 block of Highland Avenue on Sunday to
settle a score with a man who lives at that address. Authorities
claim that as soon he burst into the home he was met by a man
who did not live there and whom Pittman did not expect. The
visitor and Pittman allegedly got involved in scuffle, and
Pittman shot himself in the hand. The visitor was not charged.
CONWAY, AR, 1/03/16: A Conway Police officer is on paid
administrative leave as the department investigates an incident
in which the officer's gun fired during an arrest. According to
LaTresha Woodruff with the Conway Police Department, police got
a call from a Walmart employee Sunday morning around 10:41 about
a shoplifter. One of the responding officers encountered the
suspect's vehicle and got behind it. About 8 minutes later the
two vehicles entered a cul-de-sec at Gabrielle and Cherub, and
the suspect backed his van into the officer's SUV. A pursuit
began and the chase got up to around 80 mph. The pursuit ended
at Clifton and Duncan Streets when the suspect's van stuck
another vehicle at a stop sign. The occupants of the vehicle
were not hurt. While multiple officers were arresting the
suspect, one of the officer's weapon accidentally discharged. No
one was injured. The suspect was arrested and faces several
charges including theft of property, fleeing and leaving the
scene of an accident.
DUBUQUE, IA, 1/03/16: Police in Dubuque confirm a
little boy was critically wounded in a late night shooting that
may have been an accident. Investigators say the shooting
happened around 11:45 PM Sunday night at 942 Main Street, near
the downtown area. A 2-year-old boy was airlifted to University
of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. There is no word on his
condition. "Not sure of the current condition right now," said
Lt. Scott Baxter with Dubuque Police. "It was a very serious
injury, hence the transportation to University of Iowa." Police
believe the shooting may have been an accident but are still
investigating what led up to the gun going off and whether
someone shot the child or if the child had the gun when it went
off. No one has been arrested but police say charges are still
possible in the case. "There were several people inside the
residence when it did happen," said Lt. Baxter. "Obviously
interviews have to be conducted, the scene has to be processed,
all of that is still on going." MORE: The parents of a Dubuque
toddler who shot himself now face federal charges. Raven J.
Harris, 25, and Willie E. Horsley Sr., 29, both of 2831 Central
Ave., No. 1, are each charged in U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Iowa with being a prohibited person in
possession of a firearm and ammunition, prosecutors announced
Friday. They made initial court appearances Tuesday, and both
are scheduled to be back in court on Tuesday, Feb. 23. "(Willie
Horsley) initially told police that (Jeremiah Horsley) had been
cut by glass," according to court documents. Medical
professionals determined the boy had been shot, court documents
said. The bullet entered Jeremiah Horsley's right cheek,
traveled out through his left jaw, entered his left shoulder and
exited from his left arm. The boy was taken to University of
Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City for treatment. "Harris
also stated that she carried the (handgun) with her when she
went to pick up Horsley from work on Jan. 3, 2016, and when she
arrived home, she placed the firearm on top of the television in
her bedroom," court documents said. Court documents state
Harris' other children, ages 7 and 4, said they were playing
with the gun in a bedroom when Jeremiah Horsley shot himself in
the face.
EDEN, AZ, 1/03/16: A 62-year-old man was hospitalized Sunday
after he accidentally shot himself in his leg at his residence.
According to a Graham County Sheriff’s Office report, first
responders were dispatched to 11013 West Eden Church Lane at
about 3 PM. Upon arrival, a deputy discovered Mickey Bartlett on
the floor of his living room with blood coming out of his lower
left leg. A Pima officer applied pressure to Bartlett’s wound to
help stop the bleeding until he was relieved by paramedics from
Southwest Ambulance, who then treated Bartlett and transported
him to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center. Pima Fire also
responded to the scene to assist. According to Bartlett’s
statements to police, he was in the living room and forgot his
gun was loaded. He then accidentally shot himself in his rear
calf area. The injury was described as a through-and-through
with an exit wound by a Pima officer. Bartlett’s wife retrieved
his Hi-Point 9-mm handgun for a deputy, who discovered it still
had a loaded magazine with a round in its chamber. The deputy
then cleared the firearm and secured it. A spent 9-mm shell
casing was located in the kitchen/living room area, according to
the report.
MEMPHIS, TN, 1/03/16: Memphis police were investigating after a
teenager shot himself, apparently by accident, Sunday morning,
officials said. The incident happened a little before noon in
the 300 block of Gaston in South Memphis. According to police,
the 15-year-old boy's father was approaching the house when he
heard two shots. The teen opened the door and said he shot
himself. The boy was taken to the Regional Medical Center in
critical condition, police said.
MEMPHIS, TN, 1/04/16: Three people have been shot and two are
dead after a pair of shootings. One of those shootings was
accidental. According to police, a man accidentally shot a gun
through the floor. On the floor below, the bullet hit a
13-year-old girl. The girl was also holding a 12-week-old baby,
who was grazed by a bullet. The 13-year-old was taken to
LeBonheur in critical condition; the baby was taken there in
non-critical condition. The 13-year-old later died from her
injuries. After the accidental shooting, another person went
upstairs to locate the person that fired the shot. That person
shot and killed the original shooter while the original shooter
tried to run away. Both shootings occurred in the 1400 block of
Briercrest Lane at the Corning Village Apartments. Police have
not found the second shooter. They are working to get a
description of the suspect.
LAGRANGE, GA, 1/04/16: Police are continuing to investigate the
accidental shooting of a 2-year-old LaGrange girl by another
child Monday night. The girl, identified as Calvinyanna Sanders,
was taken to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston
hospital Monday night with a gunshot wound to the torso. She
remains in critical, but stable condition after surgery Monday
night, according to LaGrange police. The shooting occurred just
after 4 PM in the apartment of Shynobia Huguley at the Wood Glen
Apartments, according to LaGrange police investigators.
Calvinyanna and her mother, Dashavey McCamey, were visiting the
apartment at the time. Huguley told investigators that she was
in her bedroom when the shooting occurred. She said her young
son, Korbin Willis, was in the living room with Calvinyanna. She
said Dashavey McCamey and Kamiyah McCamey were also in the
living room at the time of the shooting, according to a police
incident report. Three other children — ages 10, 3 and 1 — also
were in the apartment, investigators determined. Huguley told
investigators that the handgun was under the couch in her living
room. One of the children apparently found the handgun, fired it
and hit Calvinyanna, police said. Officers recovered the weapon
inside the apartment.
ST. CLOUD, FL, 1/04/16: A 2-year-old remains in critical
condition after what authorities are calling an accidental
shooting in St. Cloud on Monday night. A large presence of
Osceola County deputies could be seen at the Michigan Avenue
home after a family member called 911 around 6 PM. The child was
airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. According to
the sheriff's office, the evidence points toward the child
accidentally shooting himself; however, the incident remains
under investigation. Family members indicated the boy located a
small caliber handgun in a truck parked at the home. It's
unclear whether the boy accidentally fired the weapon or it
somehow discharged on its own and struck him, officials said.
Authorities have not yet said whether charges would be filed in
the case.
SANTA ROSA, CA, 1/04/16: A man who accidentally shot himself in
the hand was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment, Sonoma
County sheriff’s officials said. Francisco Javier Yanez, 20, of
Santa Rosa shot himself with an illegal short-barreled shotgun
while two children were at the Ludwig Avenue home, Sgt. Cecile
Focha said. A caller reporting the shooting led deputies and an
ambulance crew to the home at about 10 AM Monday on the western
outskirts of Santa Rosa, but Yanez was gone, Focha said.
Deputies found him at a hospital and, once treated, booked him
into the Sonoma County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail, the
sergeant said. He was arrested on suspicion of felony child
endangerment and illegal weapon possession, Focha said. He was
not in custody at the jail Tuesday.
DUNDEE, IA, 1/04/16: A northeast Iowa farmer has died in a
farm-related accident. Fifty-seven-year old Randy Kelchen of
Dundee was found dead at his farm Monday afternoon. According to
the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Kelchen had been working
with livestock and used a shotgun to euthanize an aggressive
bull. Authorities say as he was climbing the gate out of the
barnyard, when the shotgun accidentally discharged and the
gunshot wound was instantly fatal.
TRINIDAD, CO, 1/04/16: A 9-year-old boy who was accidentally
shot in the head after he and his younger brother found and
handled a loaded handgun while inside of a parked car last week
in Trinidad died Sunday at a Denver hospital, according to the
Trinidad Police Department. The boy, who police did not
identify, was shot in the head Jan. 4. Police said the
9-year-old boy had been inside of a parked vehicle with his
8-year-old brother at a Shell station on Goddard Street. The two
boys found a loaded gun in the vehicle and the gun was
discharged while it was being handled, and a bullet struck the
9-year-old boy in the head. The victim was transported to Mt.
San Rafael Hospital and then flown via Flight for Life to Denver
Children’s Hospital. He had undergone surgery and was listed in
critical condition before he died. Police said they received
information that the boy was removed from life support Sunday
and died around 12:54 PM. The two boys were in the care of
family friend James Howard, 63, of Trinidad, while the boys’
parents attended a medical appointment, police said last week.
Howard is an employee of the Sparks Natural Gas station, which
is near the Shell station on Goddard, and was working on a pump
at the time of the incident. The police department’s
communications center received a call around noon Jan. 4 that
the 9-year-old boy was injured and needed medical attention at
the Sparks station and medical personnel responded to that
location. Police said no arrests had been made as of Monday,
adding that once the investigation is complete, it will be
reviewed by the district attorney to determine what charges, if
any, will be filed.
SAN ANTONIO, TX, 1/04/16: A shooting in the courtyard of a north
side apartment complex prompted a massive air and ground search
which included the SAPD helicopter, but was quickly ended when
the victim admitted that he had shot himself by accident, News
Radio 1200 WOAI reports. A police officer was at the apartment
complex in the 11700 block of Parliament, not far from Churchill
High School, taking a report on another offense when he heard a
shot and saw a man lying on the ground. He rushed to the scene
and the 18 year old victim told him that a man called 'reefer'
had shot him and then run away. Police called in officers who
scoured the area, only to have the victim fess up and tell them
that 'reefer' does not exist, at least 'reefer' isn't human. The
man said he accidentally shot himself in the foot. The man was
rushed to the hospital, where officials say he lost his big toe.
HENDERSON, TX, 1/05/16: Anthony Clifton, owner of Clifton’s
Barber Shop, was found dead by police Tuesday afternoon of an
apparent gunshot wound. Henderson police officers and
detectives, Department of Public Safety, Champion EMS and the
Henderson Fire Department responded to a call at around 4:50 PM
Tuesday in reference to a male at Clifton’s Barber Shop, located
at 208 U.S. Highway 79 N., with a possibly self-inflicted
gunshot wound.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, 1/05/16: Colorado Springs police say one
man is hurt and another is behind bars after an accidental
shooting. It happened on the 2600 block of Avalanche Heights on
the north side of Colorado Springs around 10 PM on Jan. 5th,
2016. Police say a man had called police to report a shots fired
call. When they arrived to the mans house, he said he
accidentally fired his gun while he was cleaning it. The bullet
had gone through the wall of the apartment and hit his neighbor
who was sitting on the couch. The neighbor was taken to the
hospital, suffering from non-life threatening injuries, and is
expected to be OK. The man who shot the gun, Frank Dawkins, was
arrested for illegal discharge of a firearm and was taken to the
El Paso County Criminal Justice center.
HAINES, AK, 1/05/16: Tuesday at around 1:15 PM, Haines Borough
Police Officer Brayton Long, 52, accidentally shot himself in
the lower arm while conducting firearms training at the shooting
range out Mud Bay Road. Long was transported to the Haines
Clinic before being Medevaced to Harborview Medical Center in
Seattle for further treatment. A spokesperson from Harborview
said Wednesday morning that Long is in stable condition.
According to acting police chief Josh Dryden, no foul play is
suspected. Dryden said that after to speaking with Long on
Wednesday, he seems to be doing fine under the circumstances.
Dryden added that Long said the round didn’t hit anything
“important.” An investigation by Alaska State Troopers
continues. Long is the newest member of the Haines Police
Department. He started a couple of months ago after having
worked as a police officer in Skagway for five years. Dryden
said “he’s a great officer and an even better human being.”
OXFORD, MS, 1/05/16: The fatal shooting of an 18-year-old man is
still being investigated as an accidental shooting, according to
Oxford Police Department officials. However, the tragic event
has families reeling from shock and heartbreak. The two men
involved in the shooting were first cousins, but some say were
more like brothers. They recently had moved into their own place
together, and the two had grown up together. OPD investigators
responded to their home at 110 Old Taylor Road at about 5 PM
Tuesday in response to a caller who told 911 dispatch that
someone had been shot and was unresponsive. Hunter Escue, 18,
was found unresponsive with obvious injuries from a gunshot
wound. He was immediately taken to Baptist Memorial
Hospital-North Mississippi where he was pronounced dead,
according to Lafayette County Coroner Rocky Kennedy. Officers
interviewed Austin McLarty, 20, of Oxford who said he was the
one who called 911. Investigators said the men were handling
firearms, when a shot was reportedly fired from Austin’s pistol,
striking and killing Hunter. OPD Maj. Jeff McCutchen said no
charges had been filled as of Wednesday afternoon and that the
case is still under investigation. Police are conducting
interviews and results from evidence were sent to the
Mississippi Crime Lab along with an autopsy report. OPD
officials could not be reached for comment or updates this
morning. McLarty is the oldest son of Lafayette County
Supervisor Chad McLarty. Board president Jeff Busby said the
board’s thoughts and prayers are with both families. “It’s a
tragic accident,” Busby said. “I hope the community keeps both
families in their thoughts and prayers as well. Our hearts go
out to them. This board will certainly do all we can do show
them love and support.” McLarty was not injured but was
transported to the hospital for observation, according to a
family member. Debbie Paine with Deborah Kaye School of Dance is
helping to raise money for Escue’s family, who apparently did
not have burial insurance for Escue, according to a mass email
sent by Paine this morning. Anyone wishing to make a donation to
the family can put a check in the mailbox at the dance studio.
Put all donations in an envelope with “Donation” written on the
outside. Paine will collect donations today and Friday and will
write one check to the family Friday afternoon.
COTTAGE GROVE, OR, 1/05/16: A man shot and killed another man
Tuesday in what may be an accident, police said. The Cottage
Grove Police Department received a 911 call from a man reporting
another man had been injured with a firearm and help was needed.
Officers found the man on S. 6th Street with an apparent gunshot
wound. Officers and EMTs attempted to revive the male victim,
who later died at the scene. Police said Kyle David Ledford, 22,
died from a single gunshot wound. Police are talking to two
witnesses. Anyone with information about the case is asked to
call the Cottage Grove Police Department and talk to Corporal
Doug Skaggs or Corporal Chris Joyce. Police said they questioned
and released a man who apparently accidentally shot and killed
the victim. Police are working with District Attorney to
determine if a crime was committed.
TERRE HAUTE, IN, 1/05/16: It’s where you go to get away from the
noise, but a scary moment broke the silence when a gunshot rang
out at the Vigo County Public Library. On Tuesday police were
called to the scene of an accidental discharge. It happened
during a small meeting being held in the lower level of the
library. “We did have an incident where proper precautions
weren’t taken,” said Kristi Howe, Director of the Vigo County
Public Library. The library offers meeting rooms, which provide
an extra sense of comfort and security for community
organizations or groups. On Tuesday afternoon “gun hobbyists”
reserved a room, and it was during their discussion when a
person in attendance had a gun accidentally discharge.
“Throughout the course of their meeting they were handling
firearms that were intended to be unloaded, and in fact one of
them did still have a live round in the chamber,” said Howe.
Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident, and because of the
seclusion of the room not many heard the shot either. The bullet
caused minimal damage to a wall, which has since been repaired.
“You know you do what you can to try to make sure your
environment is as safe as it can be, but sometimes accidents do
just happen.” Hoosiers who have a permit can take a firearm on
public property, with the exception of schools, courts, and law
enforcement offices, the measure was approved back in 2011.
“There’s always the possibility that guns are in the building
and we’re not even aware of it. The library board does not
really have the ability to implement additional regulation
beyond Indiana code, we just comply with what the code states
for us,” said Howe. The library is working with the group to
make sure a similar incident does not happen again in the
future. “We’re not interested in the gun control debate, our
first priority is safety.” MORE: Witnesses told police that the
husband was demonstrating a laser bore guide, which was inserted
into the barrel of the firearm to emit a light that is aimed at
a target. When the man's wife put the guide in her firearm and
pulled the trigger of the gun, a live round fired, entering the
wall and damaging the bore sighter. Two people were in an
adjoining room, but were not injured by the gunfire, Tompkins
said. Howe stated that no one outside the area knew about the
incident. The lower level also houses the children's area of the
library. "There were people in the children's area," she said,
"and no one even heard the shot."
WHARTON TOWNSHIP, PA, 1/05/16: An Austin man was injured when a
gun accidentally discharged into his leg on Jan. 5, state police
released in a report today. Isaac Mark Vanwhy, 22, was
reportedly opening his co-worker's truck door in a parking lot
at Williams Gas Pipeline when his co-worker's .44 caliber
revolver feel from the inside of the door. The gun reportedly
discharged when it fell to the ground. The bullet entered and
exited Vanwhy's left leg, and then entered and was lodged in his
right leg. Vanwhy was transported to the Austin Firehall, and
was taken to Cole Memorial by Austin Ambulance. He was then
airlifted to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre.
LITTLE ROCK, AR, 1/06/16: The teen arrested in Wednesday's bank
robbery and shooting in Little Rock has been ordered held on a
$1 million bail. Tyrone Randolph, 16, made an initial appearance
by video in Little Rock District Court Thursday, during which a
judge set the high bond. A prosecutor told the judge Randolph
has no known prior convictions, but requested a bail of $2
million because of the severity of the crimes he is charged
with. Randolph faces charges of aggravated robbery, theft of
property and criminal attempt to commit murder in the shooting
at the Bank of America on Cantrell Road east of Taylor Loop Road
in west Little Rock.
Police said the robber, who was armed with a sawed-off shotgun
and wearing a Halloween mask, turned around and opened fire as
he left, hitting a bank employee in the shoulder. According to a
Little Rock Police Department arrest report released Thursday,
Randolph "accidentally shot the man while trying to hold the gun
tighter." The employee was said to have suffered non-life
threatening injuries.
TRENTON, NJ, 1/06/16: A Trenton man who appears to have
accidently shot himself in the abdomen Wednesday night is
hospitalized in extremely critical condition, police said. The
20-year-old man was found on the third floor of a building on
the 500 block of Southard Street with a single gunshot wound to
the abdomen shortly before 7 PM, Lt. Stephen Varn said. The man
was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton,
where he was rushed to emergency surgery. He was listed in
"extremely critical" condition Thursday, Varn said. The shooting
response team and the Mercer County Homicide Task Force
investigated and found that the man's wound was accidentally
self-inflicted, Varn said.
MURFREESBORO, TN, 1/06/16: A man unloading his gun around 9 PM
Wednesday accidentally fired it, sending the bullet through his
wall and into his neighbor’s bedroom, where she was in bed,
according to Murfreesboro police report. Daniel Hermey of
Fortress Boulevard told police he was attempting to unload his
Polish Star 9mm when he noticed the slide was slightly opened.
He said he ejected the magazine and unloaded it but when he put
it back in the gun, the firearm fired one shot into the wall.
Herney said he immediately checked on his neighbor. Police
contacted the neighbor, Kayla Mankin, who said she was in bed
when a bullet shot through her room, next to her bed and went
into a window frame on the opposite wall.
LEBANON, TN, 1/07/16: Authorities have cited a man for having a
firearm in a government building after a child found it in a
bag. Officials in Lebanon said they responded to the Department
of Children’s Services in the 200 block of East High Street
around noon Thursday in reference to someone with a weapon. It
was discovered that a 10-year-old child, who was in a cubicle
for an interview with a DCS worker, had noticed a handgun in a
bag. The juvenile got the weapon out of the bag and showed it to
the worker. Authorities confirmed the gun was pointed at the
worker to display it, but not in a threatening manner. Police
said the gun belonged to 34-year-old Nicholas Collier who has a
handgun carry permit. Collier, a contract worker for DCS through
Omni Community Health, had placed the bag in the cubicle with
the weapon inside. He has been cited for possessing a weapon in
a government building where signage indicates weapons are not
allowed. Officials said the weapon was seized. Collier has been
issued a date to appear in court. Omni representatives confirmed
Collier has been suspended without pay pending the
investigation. The company released the following statement
Thursday: “Earlier today, an Omni Community Health employee,
Nicholes Collier, mistakenly left a handgun in his briefcase
while onsite at the Lebanon-based Department of Children’s
Services office. We are relieved to report that everyone at the
location is safe. Omni Community Health takes safety very
seriously. Our priority is to ensure a safe environment for both
the clients in our care as well as the community we serve.
Possessing a weapon in the workplace is a violation of Omni
Community Health’s workplace safety policy. Upon talking with
local law enforcement, the employee was cited with a
misdemeanor. Mr. Collier, who has been a family services worker
with Omni Community Health since June 2014, has been suspended
without pay pending the results of an internal investigation.”
PORTAGE TOWNSHIP, HANCOCK CO., OH, 1/07/16:The Hancock County
Sheriff’s Office has identified a man who suffered a fatal
gunshot wound while hunting Thursday in a field east of McComb.
Kevin G. Myers, 51, of McComb, was found in a field on the east
side of Portage Township 135, just south of Ohio 613 near the
Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks, according to the sheriff’s
office. Myers suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was
pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies said it appeared the man had been hunting when the
shotgun he was carrying discharged, causing the fatal wound. The
incident is still under investigation by the sheriff’s office
and the Hancock County coroner’s office.
RHODES, IA, 1/07/16: The Marshall County Sheriff's Office says
two people in Rhodes suffered gunshot wounds while cleaning a
handgun Thursday night. A news release shows Richard Jones, 74,
and Ilene Jones, 69, both suffered minor injuries when the
firearm accidentally discharged. The release shows the incident
remains under investigation.
SMITH CO., TX, 1/07/16: A Smith County man is recovering in a
Tyler hospital after he was accidentally shot in the abdomen by
his father. Around 5:40 PM Thursday, Smith County deputies were
called to the 18000 block of County Road 446 in northern Smith
County on a report of a discharged weapon. When deputies
arrived, officials say they met with the family and learned that
Jesse Wiggins, 21, had been shot in the abdomen while his
father, Tracey Wiggins, 54, was trying to show him how to unload
a weapon. Jesse was airlifted to a Tyler hospital for surgery.
He is listed in fair condition and is expected to make a full
recovery. The shooting has been ruled as accidental in nature.
GULFPORT, MS, 1/07/16: Gulfport police have made two arrests in
yesterday’s shooting that left two people injured, including one
of the alleged gunmen. Police have charged 23-year-old Dominique
Mikell of Gulfport with aggravated assault and possession with
the intent to distribute marijuana. Forty-six year-old Phyllis
Frazier, also of Gulfport, was charged with possession of a
weapon by a felon. The two are allegedly behind a shooting at
New Village Apartments yesterday morning that left an adult male
with a gunshot wound in the upper torso. Police say Mikell
accidentally shot himself in the groin area while trying to
restore his weapon. There were no life-threatening injuries.
Both suspects were taken to the Harrison County Jail on $70,000
and $25,000 bonds.
JEANETTE, PA, 1/07/16: A bullet fired from a .40-caliber handgun
held by a Jeannette man during an argument with his father late
Thursday nearly struck a 15-year-old girl who was sleeping next
door, according to police. Andrew M. Klingensmith Jr., 33, was
arraigned Friday on charges of simple assault, reckless
endangering and illegally carrying a firearm without a license.
Jeannette police say Klingensmith was arguing with his father,
Andrew Sr., about 10:30 PM Thursday at his father's home at 323
Lentz St. when he discharged the firearm. Police Cpl. Mark Allen
said in an affidavit of probable cause that the bullet went
through the dining room wall and pierced the house next door,
hitting a bed where a teenage girl was sleeping. Police said the
girl was not injured. “A fired .40-caliber bullet was found on
top of the bedsheets, next to her,” Allen wrote in the
affidavit. When police questioned the younger Klingensmith, who
officers said was intoxicated, he denied intentionally firing
the handgun. “The defendant stated, ‘I didn't fire it.
(Klingensmith Sr.) tackled me and the gun just went off,' ”
Allen said in the affidavit. He said Klingensmith's gun was
equipped with two safeties “that have to be squeezed
simultaneously in order for the weapon to be discharged.” Allen
noted in police reports that Klingensmith did not have a legal
carry permit. Klingensmith was ordered held in the county jail
after failing to post $50,000 bail set by Jeannette District
Judge Joseph DeMarchis. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for
Jan. 14 before DeMarchis.
RICE LAKE, WI, 1/07/16: Six days after two people were killed by
gunshots at a downtown Rice Lake apartment building, their
deaths were still being probed by investigators from the Rice
Lake Police Department, with assistance from the Barron County
Medical Examiner and the Wisconsin Department of Justice,
Division of Criminal Investigation. Killed in the incident were
Cheri Fullarton, 37, and Justin Lowrie, 32, who both reportedly
were Rice Lake residents.
Although investigators declined to comment, the Jan. 7 incident
is being described as an accidental shooting, followed by a
suicide, according to the father of one of the deceased. Earl
Lowrie, of Cameron, Justin Lowrie’s father, said that
Fullarton’s death was a tragic accident, and that his son would
have felt immense responsibility for it. “They were drinking, he
was playing with his gun,” Earl Lowrie said via phone on
Tuesday, Jan. 12. “He had removed the clip, thought it was
empty, and didn’t realize it was chambered. A round went off and
killed Cheri.” Earl Lowrie said that he knew that his son would
have been distraught over what happened, as Fullarton was the
fiancée of Justin’s best friend. “A few minutes later, he took
his life as a consequence of what he did,” the father said. “He
went back to his own apartment and that’s when he took his life.
NICHOLS, SC, 1/07/16: A Nichols man, who was apparently trying
to frighten a dog from his property, accidentally shot a man who
was flagging adjacent property, according to the Horry County
police report. Police found a resident, who appeared to be very
upset. The police report says he told them he accidentally shot
a man while attempting to scare a dog, according to the police
report. The police report says the resident told officers he has
been having trouble with a neighbor’s black labrador coming onto
his property and relieving himself for the past few months. When
he saw a black lab on his property this past Thursday, he said
he grabbed his shotgun and fired underneath the dog to scare it
away. After firing the gun, the suspect heard a man yell, “What
are you doing? You shot me.” The resident told the victim that
he didn’t see him and was very sorry. He told officers that he
didn’t see the victim in the woods when he shot toward the dog,
which was a black lab belonging to the victim. The officer
located a spent shotgun shell near a tree where the resident
said he was standing when he fired the weapon. The officer also
found a small amount of fresh blood on the ground. The officer
searched all of the trees in the general area and found no
pellet marks, leading him to believe that the resident did fire
toward the ground. An officer met with the victim at Marion
Hospital. He said he was flagging property that his company had
recently purchased. The victim said he was inside the property
line, talking on the phone with the dog running in front of him.
The victim said it felt like he stepped on a bomb and he fell to
the ground. The victim said the shooter was about 20 yards away,
and he staggered toward him asking, “What did you shoot me
with?” The shooter fired a 2.75-inch 00 buckshot. The victim
called the man that the property was purchased from and he took
him to the hospital. Hospital staff advised officers that the
victim’s right tibia was fractured from the shotgun pellet.
CONWAY, SC, exact date unknown: Police responded to a residence
on Hunting Swamp Road this past week in reference to shots being
fired into a dwelling. The homeowner told police he had been
gone for about three weeks and upon returning he discovered a
spent projectile on a bed that apparently came through the wall.
The officer took pictures of the damage from inside and outside
of the residence.
LITTLE FALLS, MN, exact date unknown: WEAPON—A 32-year-old man
was arrested at 2:09 AM on First Street Northeast after a caller
reported he accidentally fired a handgun inside her car, causing
a bullet hole in her windshield. The man is a convicted felon
and was arrested following a traffic stop. A loaded handgun was
located under the passenger seat where the man was seated.
LUDLOW, MA, 1/08/16: A man who was showing a gun to a friend
ended up accidentally shooting both himself and his friend.
Ludlow Police Lt. Michael Brennan told 22News that the man had
his friend over his house, and was showing him the handgun
shortly before 11:00 Friday morning, when the gun went off. The
homeowner was wounded in the hand, while his friend was wounded
in the leg. Both men were taken by ambulance to Baystate Medical
Center, and are expected to recover. Brennan said that at this
point, they are not releasing the location of the house where
the accidental shooting took place. No charges have been filed.
CARLSBAD, TX, 1/08/16: Last night at around 10 PM, what was
reported as a juvenile boy with a gunshot wound was rushed to
Shannon Medical Center via private vehicle. The boy had been
shot in the face, a report on the radio stated. San Angelo
police were summoned to Shannon to investigate. According to
SAPD spokesman Sgt. Cade Solsbery, the police did investigate
the shooting. The officer’s report from last night confirms that
the child was shot in the face, he said. The incident took place
in Carlsbad, giving jurisdiction of the law enforcement
investigation to the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office. SO
spokeswoman Christina Lopez confirmed that the juvenile was shot
in the 11000 block of Midland in Carlsbad. The TGCSO Criminal
Investigations Division is handling the case. Lopez said that it
is likely that no charges will be filed. The shooting appears to
be an accident, she said. The juvenile is recovering at the
hospital. Lopez said the shooting victim is likely to live. The
juvenile sustained “non-life-threatening injuries,” Lopez said.
The TGCSO is not releasing more information about the victim due
to his juvenile status.
MORRIS, IL, 1/08/16: A Morris man is in critical condition after
being shot in the head Friday night, according to a Morris
Police Department news release. Officers responded about 9 PM to
the 2400 block of Oakland Circle for a report of a gunshot
victim, the release stated. Upon arrival, they found a
24-year-old man unconscious and bleeding with a single gunshot
wound to the head. The victim was transported to Morris Hospital
by Morris Fire Protection & Ambulance District personnel and
later taken by ambulance to Loyola Medical Center in Maywood.
Police Chief Brent Dite said the victim's identity is being
withheld, but the chief did confirm the victim is a Morris
resident. As of Saturday morning, the victim is in critical
condition. Foul play is not suspected, according to the release,
and a preliminary investigation indicates the injury was the
result of an accidental discharge of a firearm. No one has been
charged in the incident, Dite said. Morris police contacted a
crime scene investigations unit from the Illinois State Police
to assist, the release stated. The shooting remained under
investigation Saturday morning. MORE: Morris Police continue to
investigate a shooting that left Matthew D. Lyons, 24, of the
2400 block of Oakland Circle, dead over the weekend. Lyons was
declared dead Sunday morning at Loyola Medical Center in
Maywood, according to Police Chief Brent Dite. He was shot in
the head Friday night in a home on Oakland Circle.
LORAIN, OH, 1/08/16: Investigators don't expect to seek criminal
charges against a man who shot his friend in the head, Lorain
police said Monday. Police ruled the shooting that took place
Friday afternoon inside Rudy's Market on West 23rd Street an
accident. Police said the 25-year-old clerk was sitting behind
the register when he pulled out a .45-caliber pistol to show to
a 24-year-old friend sitting next to him. The clerk was handling
the gun when it went off and a bullet struck his friend in the
head. Paramedics took the 24-year-old man to Mercy Hospital in
Lorain. Doctors transfered him to MetroHealth in Cleveland. The
man's condition was not immediately available Monday afternoon.
The shooting victim was conscious and able to speak with
investigators shortly after he was shot, Lorain Poice Capt.
Roger Watkins said. He was able to confirm that the shooting was
an accident, Watkins said. No one else was inside the store at
the time of the shooting, he said.
JACKSON, MI, 1/08/16: Police believe a 17-year-old Jackson man
who sustained a gunshot wound to his pelvis Thursday evening may
have shot himself. At around 8 PM Thursday, Jan. 7, officers
with the Jackson Police Department encountered a 17-year-old
shooting victim on his way to Allegiance Hospital, Jackson
Police Lt. Christopher Simpson said. Speaking to police, the man
said he was walking along Homewild Avenue, near Loomis Park,
when he approached a group of people who appeared as if "they
were ready to start fighting," Simpson said. Passing the group,
the man said he heard a gunshot, while a bullet struck him in
the pelvis-area, Simpson said. After the shooting, the man
walked to a home in the 1700 block of Homewild Avenue, east of
Loomis Park, where a friend transported him to Allegiance
Hospital, Simpson said. According to Simpson, police are unsure
what caliber gun was used during the shooting and believe the
gunshot wound may have been self-inflicted. "He wasn't the most
cooperative victim," Simpson said, noting the man was unable to
provide viable leads or suspect information. "There appears to
be more to this story than what we're (being) led to believe,"
he added. The man's injuries were described as
non-life-threatening. He was treated at Allegiance Hospital. The
shooting is under investigation.
CASS CO., IN, 1/08/16: Police say a 36-year-old Cass County
resident was injured in an accidental shooting early Friday
morning at a residence just north of Hoover. Cass County
Sheriff's Deputies responded to a 911 call at 1:48 AM Jan. 8
pertaining to the shooting. The man, local business owner Adam
Scott, was transported via Samaritan Helicopter to Parkview
Regional Center in Fort Wayne, a press release states. Cass
County Sheriff Randy Pryor declined to state where on the body
Scott was shot and didn't know Scott's current condition. He
said the shooting was ruled accidental. A Parkview spokesperson
also said Scott's condition was not available. Law enforcement
officers are still investigating the case, Pryor said, including
speaking with people at the residence and with the paramedics
who responded to the emergency call. Pryor added that the
sheriff's department will release more information next week.
Indiana State Police, Twelve Mile Fire and Prompt Ambulance
Services also assisted at the scene.Scott owns Adam and Dana
Scott Hog Farms outside Logansport, Scott Square truck stop in
Clymers and Scott and Pedigo Hog Farms in Delphi, according to
his LinkedIn social media profile.
LAOTTO, IN, 1/09/16: A Garrett man was accidentally shot
Saturday night near LaOtto after he finished raccoon hunting.
Indiana Conservation Officer Levi Knach says 38-year-old Todd
Thrush was placing his .22 caliber rifle in a vehicle at about
10:10 PM when it accidentally discharged and shot him in the
left thigh. Thrush's hunting partner took him to DeKalb Health
in Auburn for treatment of his injury. Knach was assisted by the
Auburn Police Department.
NORTH LIBERTY, IN, 1/09/16: Police said a man died Saturday
morning after he shot himself in an possible accident at a rural
property near North Liberty. Police and medics responded shortly
after 10 AM to a home in the 67100 block of Sage Road, where
they found the 88-year-old man unresponsive with a gunshot
wound. Radio traffic indicated the man had a wound to the chest,
but a police spokesman said he could not confirm that
information. Police have not named the man. St. Joseph County
police Assistant Chief Bill Thompson said evidence suggested the
shooting was an accident, though authorities would not make an
official ruling until after an examination by a deputy coroner
planned for Sunday. According to Thompson, police learned the
man had told a family member he was going to a barn to shoot a
groundhog. Family members found the man some time later when
they went to check on him. The man was using a .22-caliber
rifle, Thompson said.
WILMINGTON, OH, 1/09/16: An accidental shooting injured at least
one person Saturday at the Ohio Gun Collectors Association Show
at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington. Col. Brian Prickett of the
Clinton County Sheriff’s Office said one man was injured when
there was an accidental discharge of a gun, and another person
may have also been struck. He believed that any injuries were
not life-threatening ones. Prickett said more details may be
available Monday. He also stated that the organization running
the gun show is a “top-notch” one that is very safety conscious,
and that normally the only loaded guns at the show “are ours”
(sheriff’s deputies). He said that, to his knowledge, the gun
show is continuing today. MORE: Family member just called and
said there was a ND behind him at the gun show. ND perpetrator
shot own thumb and hit a guy in the leg behind family member.
Medics weren't on scene at time of call yet. It is an Ohio Gun
Collector's Association show.
CHICAGO, IL, 1/09/16: A 23-year-old man was charged with child
endangerment after a 5-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in
the hand Saturday afternoon in the Washington Park neighborhood
on the South Side. Myles Mitchell, of the 2000 block of South
Michigan Avenue, was charged with misdemeanor counts of child
endangerment and unlawful use of a weapon, police said Sunday
night. The shooting occurred in the 5900 block of South Calumet
Avenue at 4:25 PM. The boy was taken to University of Chicago
Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital in good condition with a
self-inflicted wound, police said. Myles told investigators that
he kept a gun in the 5900 block of South Calumet home in an area
where it could be reached by a child, police said.
GILBERT, WV, 1/09/16: Two men were wounded near the Coon Branch
area near Gilbert, W.Va. on Saturday after a reported accidental
shooting. At approximately 1:05 PM, Mingo County 911 reported
two gunshot injuries at the home of Ricky Christian in Coon
Branch. Two Elite Care ambulances along with Gilbert Chief of
Police Mike Rasmussen, Assistant Police Chief Nathan Glanden and
Deputies J. Endicott and R. Fitch with the Mingo County
Sheriff’s Department rushed to the scene where they found a
father and son, Ricky Christian and Jonathan Christian, both
injured. “Both men suffered from lower extremity gunshot
wounds,” said deputy Endicott.
Jonathan Christian was transported by ambulance to Logan
Regional Medical Center while his father Ricky Christian was
flown to Cabell Huntington Hospital. “The incident is still an
ongoing investigation,” added Endicott. Endicott is the
investigating officer for the shooting incident. More
information will be made available as law enforcement continues
the investigation.
PRESTON CO., WV, 1/09/16: A Preston county man is behind bars
after troopers said he shot another man, Saturday night. Tyler
Sell, 22, is charged with malicious wounding. Troopers responded
to a home on Acorn Lane just before midnight, said 911
dispatchers. One man was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital.
There is no word on his condition. Sell is currently in the
Tygart Regional Jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond. Update: State
police in Preston County have identified the man who was shot
Saturday night. Trooper Hall said Matthew Long, 32, of Kingwood,
was at a woman's residence when Sell laid a gun on a table,
which subsequently went off. The bullet went through Long's
finger, then into his neck. Long was taken by KAMP Ambulance to
Ruby Memorial Hospital and has since been released. Troopers are
still investigating whether or not the shooting was intentional.
LOUISVILLE, KY, 1/09/16: Louisville police are investigating a
shooting in the Shawnee neighborhood that left a young boy dead.
Andre Lamont O'Neal Jr., 8, was shot to death while at a
babysitter's house. WLKY spoke to the man who shot him, Elgin
Anders. He said it was an accident. Anders said he traveled with
the young boy in the back seat of the car to Kosair Children's
Hospital. "It fell on the floor, ricocheted, fired from the
revolver back of the hammer, fired and hit him," Anders said.
"We took him to the hospital. I'm holding him, he was talking to
me in the car and everything, showing us some response, and I
guess when we got there it was over.” It was just before 11:30
PM Saturday when police went to Kosair Children's Hospital.
That's where Andre died after being shot inside a house on North
34th Street. “So what happened? It just fell out of your hand?”
WLKY reporter Anna-lysa Gale asks Anders. “No, I was taking it
out of my pocket. It slipped out of my hand and fired," Anders
said. Christopher 2X, who knows the O'Neal family, said he
wished Anders and others had waited for emergency responders,
instead of taking Andre to the hospital in a private car. “EMS
never did come, because they didn't have to, because nobody
called them," 2X said. "At the time of the moment, we were all
shocked,” Anders said. Several other adults, including Andre's
babysitter and at least four children, were inside the house at
the time of the shooting. Andre's father learned about what
happened around 2 AM Sunday. "We miss everything about him,"
Andre O’Neal Sr. said. "He was a good little boy, smart, bright.
He like to play. I kept him, like, every weekend." Anders said
he regrets what happened. "I feel horrible, I feel really
horrible about the whole situation. I blame me, because it
slipped out of my hand," Anders said. At this time Anders is not
facing any charges in connection with Andre's death. He says he
was questioned by police.
MOBILE, AL, 1/09/16: A 15 year old Mobile girl is facing
manslaughter charges after police say she accidentally shot her
boyfriend while playing with a gun. The victim has been
identified as 16-year-old Jermaine Wright. It's possible the
teenagers' parents could face reckless endangerment charges if
they knew their kids were playing with guns, but police say
charges aren't likely. "At this time it's still early in the
investigation. We are not looking forward to charging the
parents with it. This is a tragic event but it's definitely
something we can learn from," said Officer Terence Perkins with
the Mobile Police Department. Police say the gun had been in
Wright’s possession for some time, but they’re still
investigating the actual ownership and how the gun ended up in a
teen’s hands. Police say the accident happened Saturday night.
More than a dozen police cars rushed to the scene. “I opened the
door and that's when I saw all the police cars and screaming and
hollering," said one neighbor. Police say Wright and the suspect
were at a friend’s house in the 2100 block of Agate Street. "I'm
not sure where the parents were in this particular incident, but
the juvenile victim and suspect were in this particular place
with other juveniles." Part of the investigation has revolved
around social media. Police are aware of several posts in which
the teenagers are posing with guns. They say this is a growing
trend parents should be aware of. "We're asking people in the
community if you see this kind of behavior. Let's not wait until
it's too late to report it,” Perkins said.
AUBURN, AL, 1/09/16: The Auburn Police Department is
investigating the shooting death of a man on Saturday. APD says
the shooting took place at a home in the 400 block of Webster
Road on Jan. 9. At the scene, police discovered the victim,
Marquorious Rowell, 18, from Auburn, with a gunshot wound to the
chest. Rowell was later pronounced dead at the East Alabama
Medical Center emergency room. During the beginning stages of
the investigation, APD determined that Rowell had accidentally
been shot inside the home by a juvenile during an "accidental
discharge." The unidentified teen, who was at the scene when
police arrived, was taken from the scene and questioned.
Rowell's body was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s
office in Montgomery for an autopsy. The Auburn Police Division
is being assisted in the investigation by the Alabama Department
of Forensic, the State Medical Examiner’s Office and the Lee
County Coroner’s Office. The investigation is ongoing.
BALTIMORE, MD, 1/09/16: A suspect has been arrested in the
shooting of a 24-year-old man who was seriously injured in
Baltimore, officials said Sunday. Police said Daryl Doles, 22,
will be charged with attempted murder. Doles himself was also
injured in a shooting, which he confessed was self-inflicted,
police said. Police said the 24-year-old victim was shot in the
chest in the 1000 block of Lerew Way just before 6 PM Saturday.
The victim was shot on the right side of his chest. He was taken
to the hospital, where he is considered to be in serious
condition. Doles was arrested near Banca Way.
PITTSTON, PA, 1/09/16: A city man is facing criminal charges
after police say he accidentally blasted his living room wall
with a shotgun and then called 911 pretending he knew nothing
about the loud bang he just heard. Michael Joseph Blaker, 24, of
101 N. Main St., apartment 305, is charged with reckless
endangerment, tampering with evidence and a city violation for
discharging a firearm. Police were dispatched to the third floor
of the Anthracite Apartments building about 4:45 PM Saturday
after Blaker himself called 911 to report hearing a loud bang
followed by a fire alarm as he tried to take a shower. Blaker
told police he didn’t know where the noise came from, but that
it had been outside his apartment and was accompanied by the
smell of sulfur, according to a police affidavit. A next-door
neighbor, however, told police the noise came from Blaker’s
apartment after they had been talking about how Blaker likes to
play with his new shotgun, the affidavit says. Another neighbor
told police he heard the shot and saw Blaker come out of his
apartment, which smelled of burnt gunpowder, asking “What was
that?” Inside Blaker’s apartment, police saw the spray pattern
from a shotgun blast on the living room wall. They later found
the wad from the shotgun shell in the kitchen garbage, police
said. During questioning, Blaker later admitted he accidentally
fired his Remington 12-gauge shotgun while cleaning it and that
he tried to conceal that fact because he got scared, the
affidavit says. Magisterial District Judge James M. Dixon
arraigned Blaker on Saturday night and released him on $25,000
unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing was set for 9:30 AM Jan.
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